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Puntarelle alla Romana — Crisp Chicory Shoots with Anchovy Dressing
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Source: https://recipheon.com/en/recipes/snacks/puntarelle-alla-romana-crisp-chicory-shoots-with-anchovy-dressing
About this recipe
Puntarelle alla romana is a crisp Roman salad of mildly bitter chicory shoots with an anchovy dressing. It uses the pale, hollow shoots growing inside cicoria catalogna a puntarelle. These are different from white Belgian endive heads. Cut the shoots lengthwise into thin strips and soak them in ice-cold water so they curl slightly and become springy. Then dry them thoroughly, allowing the dressing to cling to the vegetable instead of becoming diluted with water. Anchovies mashed with garlic, olive oil and vinegar give a bold, salty-tangy flavor. Toss just before serving to keep the shoots crisp. The recipe makes 4 side servings or small appetizers. Allow about 1 hour and 25 minutes, including 60 minutes of soaking; make the dressing during the soak.
Ingredients
Shoots and ice bath
400 g raw inner puntarelle shoots (cicoria catalogna a puntarelle), after removing the long leaves and tough bases; net weight; not white Belgian endive heads or ordinary leafy chicory
1500 ml cold water for soaking; discard all of it
400 g ice made from drinking water, for soaking; discard all of it with the water
Anchovy dressing
30 g ready-to-eat anchovy fillets packed in oil; weight after draining, without adding the packing oil
5 g raw peeled garlic
40 g extra virgin olive oil
20 ml white wine vinegar with 6% acidity
0.5 g ground black pepper
up to 1 g salt, only if needed after tasting the dressing
Steps
Open up the cicoria catalogna a puntarelle and separate the long outer leaves. Break out the pale, crisp shoots from the center. Cut off their tough bases and pull away any noticeable stringy fibers from larger shoots. Weigh out 400 g trimmed shoots and rinse thoroughly. The outer leaves and tough cut-off parts do not go into this salad. Do not replace the shoots with white Belgian endive heads.
Combine 1500 ml cold water and 400 g ice in a bowl with a capacity of about 4 l. Halve each shoot lengthwise, rest it flat-side down on a stable cutting board and slice lengthwise into thin strips about 2–3 mm wide. Transfer them straight to the ice bath. Once all the shoots are cut, put the bowl in the refrigerator for about 60 minutes. The strips should curl slightly while staying crisp and springy. Make the dressing meanwhile.
AI-generated Drain the anchovy fillets; the packing oil does not go into the dressing. Crush the garlic and anchovies to a paste in a mortar. Alternatively, chop them very finely with a knife and mash with a fork in a small bowl. Add all the vinegar, then gradually pour in 40 g olive oil, mixing vigorously until you have a lightly thickened dressing with tiny anchovy pieces. Add the pepper and taste. If the dressing needs salt, add only the necessary part of the measured 1 g; the anchovies are already salty. Do not add salt automatically.
After soaking, transfer the strips to a sieve and discard all the water and remaining ice. Gently spin the puntarelle in a salad spinner or dry with a clean kitchen towel, without crushing them. The shoots should be dry on the surface so water does not dilute the dressing. Transfer to a large dry bowl.
Stir the dressing again and add all of it to the dried shoots. Toss gently but thoroughly to coat the strips evenly. Divide into 4 servings and serve immediately while the puntarelle are still cool and crisp. Do not leave the salad standing for long after dressing, so the shoots do not turn limp.
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